Editing Learned helplessness (section)

{{short description|Psychological behavior}}

'''Learned helplessness''' is the behavior exhibited by a subject after enduring repeated [[aversive stimuli]] beyond their control. It was initially thought to be caused by the subject's acceptance of their powerlessness, by way of their discontinuing attempts to escape or avoid the aversive stimulus, even when such alternatives are unambiguously presented. Upon exhibiting such behavior, the subject was said to have acquired learned helplessness.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Carlson NR |title= Psychology the science of behavior |year=2010 |publisher=Pearson Canada |pages=409 |isbn=978-0-205-69918-6 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1380861/learned-helplessness|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|author=Nolen, J.L.|title=Learned helplessness|access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref> Over the past few decades, neuroscience has provided insight into learned helplessness and shown that the original theory was the wrong way about—the brain's default state is to assume that control is not present. The presence of control is therefore learned. However, it is unlearned when a subject is faced with prolonged aversive stimulation.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Maier SF, Seligman ME | title = Learned helplessness at fifty: Insights from neuroscience | journal = Psychological Review | volume = 123 | issue = 4 | pages = 349–367 | date = July 2016 | pmid = 27337390 | pmc = 4920136 | doi = 10.1037/rev0000033 }}</ref>

In humans, learned helplessness is related to the concept of [[self-efficacy]], the individual's belief in their innate ability to achieve goals. '''Learned helplessness theory''' is the view that [[clinical depression]] and related [[mental illness]]es may result from a real or perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Seligman ME |year=1975 |title=Helplessness: On Depression, Development, and Death |location=San Francisco |publisher=W. H. Freeman |isbn=978-0-7167-2328-8 }}{{pn|date=May 2025}}</ref>